Thomas Dambo’s latest project at The Wild Center in the Adirondacks is an excellent example of upcycling into art. His traveling exhibit, TROLLS: Save the Humans, features six massive sculptures that serve as an engineering lesson on circular production.

Building From the Scrap Heap

The most interesting thing about Dambo’s Trolls is the source of the wood used to create these sculptures. The sculptures utilize old pallets, floorboards, and construction scraps.

There are countless wooden pallets used once in the production of goods and subsequently rot in the storage facilities of various companies. Dambo upcycles this waste to create Troll sculptures. The One Earth School curriculum: Dambo creates these sculptures from upcycled materials to inspire people to think more about the environment in which they live. The materials used for the sculptures are also engineered to withstand the elements.

Art With a Job to Do

These sculptures come to life in the story Dambo tells to help bridge the gap between people and the planet. Each Troll has a name and a personality and is strategically placed throughout the forest to encourage people to explore the actual woods.

The story behind the sculptures includes the intention to use upcycled materials to create 20-foot sculptures that demonstrate a low-tech solution to the high volume of waste humanity generates.

Why the Adirondacks

Since The Wild Center is dedicated to sustainability and the natural world, these sculptures serve as a bridge between the natural world and the damage humans inflict on the planet. While these sculptures may seem like simple pieces of art, they demonstrate how humans can create a more sustainable planet by smartly reusing the resources already available around the world and in the world we all share.